The British Olympic Association have defended their announcement yesterday, which made reference to a “historic agreement” having been made with regard to a British football team potentially competing in the Olympics.

Representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland criticised the announcement, after it had been made without their consent and amid concerns that guarantees regarding their sovereignty are not legally binding.

Speaking to the BBC, BOA chief Andy Hunt said that the agreement in question referred to a meeting that had taken place between the BOA and the English FA.

The other three nations, meanwhile, wrote a letter accepting that they could not legally prevent their players participating for Britain.

Meanwhile Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan vowed that they would “not take any sanctions or punishments”.

However, Regan expressed concern that the letter sent by FIFA to the Scottish FA, assuring them of their nation’s sovereignty, was “not legally binding”.

He added: “We don’t have a guarantee or binding contract, we just have a letter. Our board don’t think that’s strong enough. We therefore don’t wish to participate and neither do our fans.

“They want to see football played under banner of Scotland. We would have to revisit the debate if a binding contract is produced.”

It has yet to be established whether a limit on the amount of representatives per nation is to be implemented, therefore Britain could conceivably field an all-English team should the other nations’ players refuse to compete in the event.